ICMCE 2026: Antiwear Claims FS54 Coating Technology Extends Equipment Service Life

Coating technology is a crucial factor in improving equipment reliability within the critical mineral processing industry. This was stated by Antiwear’s President of International Business Division, Changsong Deng, at the Indonesia Critical Minerals Conference & Expo (ICMCE) 2026, organised by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) and the Indonesian Nickel Miners Association (APNI) at Hotel Pullman Central Park, West Jakarta, on Friday (5/6/2026). In his presentation, Deng explained that the primary challenge in processing critical minerals such as titanium, magnesium, and cobalt lies in the extremely harsh operational conditions, ranging from acidic environments and high pressure to temperatures reaching 250-275 degrees Celsius. “In critical mineral applications, there are very severe operating conditions. We found that the main problems that frequently occur are jamming and internal leakage in equipment,” he said at the three-day event. Antiwear’s research confidently indicates that this damage is caused by acidic liquid penetration through the pores of the protective layer, which then damages the equipment’s base material. Conventional coatings made from titanium dioxide or chromium oxide do have high hardness levels, but they still possess porosity, allowing acidic liquid to penetrate the underneath layer. “Due to porosity in the coating, acid can enter through tiny cavities and reach the base material. At high temperatures, this condition causes material degradation and ultimately the protective layer can detach from the surface,” he explained. To address this issue, Antiwear developed a coating technology named FS54. This technology is claimed to have a near-zero porosity level, thus providing better protection against corrosion and wear. “FS54 has a chromium wear rate of below 0.1 millimetres per year, hardness exceeding 840 HV, and near-zero porosity,” he stated. He continued by saying these characteristics make it harder for process liquids to adhere to the coating surface, significantly reducing the risk of corrosion damage. “Near-zero porosity means the coating layer and the bonding layer can be perfectly protected,” he added. On the occasion, he also outlined Antiwear’s development since its founding in 2007. The company now has two production facilities in the Suzhou region, China, with a total factory area of around 100,000 square metres. Antiwear consistently allocates approximately 10% of the company’s investment towards research and development (R&D) activities. “More than 10% of our investment is allocated to research and development projects,” he stated. He noted that the company’s revenue has increased significantly in recent years. From around US$100 million in the early stages of business development, Antiwear’s revenue reached approximately US$460 million last year. Through this coating technology innovation, Antiwear hopes to support improved equipment efficiency and reliability in the critical mineral processing sector, which is currently a key focus of global industrial development.